Vanquished by Katie Clark Page A

me.”
    “Right. I won’t.”
    He moves on to his work station, and I consider the meeting with him. I feel better equipped to deal with the problems surrounding a corrupt government today. It’s less painful than finding out my best friend isn’t exactly who I thought she was. I hurry to Mom’s room.
    “Hana!” she says. She’s sitting up today, nibbling on fruit. Maybe this means progress.
    Guilt hits me for not visiting yesterday. “I brought you these.” I pull the books I bought from my bag.
    Her smile lights up the room. “Hana, these are great. Thank you so much.” Her voice sounds happy enough, but she looks pale. Her eyes are pinched.
    “Do you need anything, Mom? Water or medicine?”
    “No, no. I’m OK.”
    But I can tell she’s not.
    “What do they say about the nutrition treatments? Did you ever ask about coming home?”
    “I did ask, but they said it’s best to monitor me here.”
    She didn’t answer my first question. I can tell the nutrition treatments aren’t working, and fear bubbles up in my stomach. It feels like stew when it’s left too long on the stove—thick and inedible.
    I force the thoughts away and sit in the chair beside the bed. “Have you read any of these before?”
    “No, I’ve never seen them.”
    That’s not surprising, since there are only a few copies of any given book that’s been found in a dig.
    “Jamie helped me pick them out. She knows you almost as well as I do.”
    My mom smiles at that. “I’m a little surprised she hasn’t come with you to visit.”
    “She’s been busy lately,” I say. Busy doing things she shouldn’t be doing and getting herself into a mess.
    Maybe I shouldn’t have kept her from coming with me all those times she offered. The thought takes my breath away. Is her pregnancy partly my fault?
    I shake myself. I don’t want to think about this here.
    “Your friend Ava’s been visiting me, too, while she’s here to see her brother. There’s something strange going on there.”
    I’m intrigued that she says this. “Do you think so?”
    “I don’t know what it is, but why wouldn’t they let the family see him? It doesn’t make any sense.” She takes a shaky breath and closes her eyes.
    As much as I want to get her opinion on this, I’m more worried about her actions. “Are you OK, Mom?”
    She nods but keeps her eyes closed.
    “It hurts, doesn’t it?”
    My mom doesn’t say anything and I know this means yes.
    Seeing her like this hurts me. I can’t stand the thought of her in pain. My eyes burn and my stomach clenches.
    The door slides open and Dr. Lane walks in. “Hi Hana. How are you?”
    “Mom’s in pain,” I say, ignoring her question. “Isn’t there something we can give her?”
    Dr. Lane frowns. She checks Mom’s temperature and does a routine examination. “Would you like more pain medicine?”
    Mom nods silently, and Dr. Lane marks something on Mom’s chart. “I’ll let Fischer know, and he’ll be in shortly.”
    Mom’s eyes are closed again.
    I glance at Dr. Lane’s retreating back. I want to know more. “I’ll be right back, Mom.”
    I catch Dr. Lane in the hallway. “How’s she doing? With the mutation, I mean?”
    Dr. Lane glances at the door to Mom’s room. “Have you asked her those questions?”
    “Yes, she won’t say anything. The treatments aren’t working, are they?”
    Dr. Lane sighs. “Not as well as I’d like. I haven’t lost hope, though. I’m trying to get some other things worked out.”
    Chemo drugs. An ember of hope flames to life. “OK, thanks.”
    Dr. Lane smiles. “Fischer will be back in a bit with the pain meds.”
    I slip back into Mom’s room and wait for Fischer. My mom’s already asleep, and my head swims with the knowledge that she’s questioning the actions of the Greaters where Markus Huckleberry is concerned. My parents have always supported the government every step of the way. I got that from them, I guess. If Mom is questioning them now,